The Promise
by dr-daddy-cullen
Summary: I never liked the ending on New Moon/the way the engagement worked out in Eclipse. So here is my take on the engagement. Set at the end of New Moon, Bella and Edward have a talk and come to some decisions together about their future. Also on AO3


"_Marry me?"_

Marry me. Marry me. The words rang in my head on a continuous loop. I had stared at him in disbelief convinced he was making a joke. When I realised he wasn't my mind had gone into overdrive, I practically ran away. Marry me!

I was 18 for Christ's sake! Who gets married at 18? And he'd only been back for 1 day. How could I know he wouldn't run off and leave when it got difficult again, only that time I'd be the jilted bride not the heartbroken girlfriend. People would pity me more than I was sure they already did.

_Marry me_. As I lay in bed the same night it echoed around my mind. Did I want to marry Edward? Yes, obviously. Did I want to marry Edward right now? No. Did I trust Edward? I couldn't say that I honestly did. Obviously, there were issues that needed working through before I could even think about answering his question.

As I was relaying the questions around in my head trying to make sense of it all there was a knock at my window. I sighed and got up to open it. After all those months without him I was out of practice at leaving it open.

I stepped back, giving him space to jump through into my room.

"Bella," he smiled at me walking forwards and wrapping his arms around me. I let myself be enveloped in his embrace as he pressed a kiss to the top of my head.

I closed my eyes letting myself breathe in his perfect scent. I had missed this. God, I had missed him. The hole in my chest that had been present for so many months was closed. I knew then that Edward would be the only one for me ever. If I knew then that marrying him wasn't such a big step. Maybe it was more logical. A sign of commitment to one another. A promise he could never leave again. But then, he was a vampire what was a mere mortal convention and piece of paper?

"We need to talk," I sighed breaking out of his embrace. I watched the smile slip from his perfect face as he took in what I presumed to be quite a grim look on my face.

"I'll leave if that's what you want. We will all leave and we won't bother you again," my heart sped up. No, no, no. He couldn't leave not again. I couldn't take it.

"No Edward, no. You can't leave. Please don't leave," my voice bordered on hysteria.

"Oh," he paused, "oh Bella I thought that was what you wanted," he closed the space between us and came to sit with me on my bed. He brought me to his chest again. "I'm so sorry, love, I didn't mean to scare you. I thought that was what you were going to ask, for me to leave." I let his soothing voice calm me.

"No Edward," I looked into his perfect topaz eyes. "I don't want you to ever leave. But I don't know if I can trust you not to," he nodded grimly at my words.

"I deserve that, and I don't know how to convince you that I won't. I thought maybe our conversation last night, before we went over to mine, would have convinced you somewhat," he said. I replayed the conversation in my mind. I was still so ecstatic that he was back, scared to believe he was real in case I awoke and he was gone again.

"It did," I placed my hand over where his heart has stopped beating 100 years ago, "it did but I think it will take time. You need to show me you won't leave by sticking around."

"I will never leave the place where you are again, Bella, I promise, I will show you. I will be here till you give me my orders to March," I saw the sincerity burn in his eyes and I believed him.

"I never will," I promised back. He pressed his lips against mine, sealing the promise. I let our lips work together never wanting it to end and never wanting to feel his smooth cold lips leave mine.

When he did break away I was gasping for breath a little. His effect on me hadn't changed then.

I stayed silent contemplating for a moment.

"Was there something else Bella love?" Edward probed gently.

I bit my lip, unsure of myself.

"Yes, there was," I hedged. He sat patiently looking at me waiting for me to get the courage to say what was on my mind.

"Marriage, your offer," I started slowly sounding out every word in my mouth. I glanced up at him from beneath my hair. He was sat a perfect stone. His face serene, not giving anything away, but also not breathing or moving.

"I'm not saying no," I paused again and heard his sharp intake of breath that he didn't need. "Just not yet. I will marry you but not right now, after graduation at some point," my resolve sured as I said the words, knowing this was what I truly wanted I just had to say the words aloud to make myself believe them.

Suddenly I was off the bed. Edward had me in his arms swinging me around, my body was pressed into his so I could feel every contour of his chest and he was pressing a kiss to my mouth. I smiled into him.

He whispered into my ear, "you have no idea how happy you've made me". I laughed at that, throwing my head back slightly. It was the first time in months I did feel truly happy and carefree.

When he had set me down and we were both laid back on bed he asked me if I wanted to see my engagement ring.

"I thought we might discuss it," he shrugged nonchalantly, "thought I should be prepared."

"You have an engagement ring?" I squeaked the words sticking in my throat.

"Don't worry, it's a hand me down. From my mother," he explained. My heart skipped a beat. He wanted to give me his mothers engagement ring. Oh my.

He brought out a little box and laid it in front of me. Carefully I opened it. Inside on a little bed of black velvet lay the most beautiful ring I had ever seen.

It was on a silver band, with a long oval shaped silver face in which lay dozens of tiny sparkling diamonds.

My breath caught. "Edward, this is.." my words trailed off I didn't have the words describe how beautiful it was. My eyes filled with tears. Here I was holding Elizabeth Masons engagement ring, a ring Edward wanted me to have. The tears spilled over.

Always the pessimist Edward immediately panicked, "do you not like it? We can get another, something more modern perhaps." I shushed him.

"No edward it's perfect. It's just so... beautiful," it seemed an inadequate word but I didn't have the words to describe how I felt about it. "I love it."

I gently lifted it out of the box holding it up to the light admiring how it sparkled, I laughed at that, it was apt.

I went to put it on my finger. Suddenly pausing, "can I?" I asked unsure.

"It's yours," was his only reply. I smiled.

It slid on to my finger a perfect fit.

"I love it. I love it so much," I exclaimed holding it in front of me turning the ring in different directions to see how it reacted to the light.

"What do you thing?" I asked turning my gaze to Edward. His eyes were alight with a look I hadn't seen before. He pulled me to his chest.

"It suits you," he said before, "god I like it you have no idea!"

"Isabella Swan, I have waited 100 years for you. You have no idea how it feels to see my ring on your finger," I laughed and kissed him. I didn't know how he felt but I knew how happy I was.

We laid there for a while, wrapped in each other, admiring the beautiful ring that fit so perfectly on my finger.

It wasn't until I was drifting to sleep, that I awoke suddenly with a thought.

"We can't tell people!" I exclaimed probably too loudly sitting bolt upright in bed. We both paused waiting to hear Charlie's snores. When it was clear I hadn't disturbed him I continued.

"We can't tell people yet, not whilst I'm still in high school. After graduation we'll tell Charlie and Renee and plan it properly. Before then, just your family," I explained.

He nodded, "yes I suppose that would make sense. Does that mean you won't wear your ring?" He asked. I could hear the disappointment in his voice. I thought about it for a moment.

"When I'm with you and with your family I will wear it and at all other times I'd like to keep here with me?" It was more of a question. I wanted his permission.

"Of course Bella it's yours," he went touch my hand and I closed it into a fist. I didn't want to take it off just yet.

"I won't take it off you Bella," he laughed reassuring me.

After another moment a thought occurred to me. I maybe couldn't wear this ring but it didn't mean I couldn't wear anything.

"Edward," I started slowly.

"Bella," he replied matching my own drawn out tone.

"I don't want you to spend money, and don't feel obligated in any way," a lifetime of hating gifts wasn't going to be broken naturally and I felt deeply uncomfortable asking for anything. "I may not be able to wear this ring but I wondered, maybe, if we could get one for me to wear on my right hand. Something that we would know what it means but to everyone else would just be nice."

He smiled at me, "Bella that's a lovely idea. A promise ring of sorts and I know you hate money being spent but I might have another hand me down for you." He winked at me knowingly and I grinned back at him thrilled at the idea at the idea of getting another little piece of Edward's past.

I snuggled back into his chest and let him wrap his arms around me. "Thank you Edward."

"Sleep now Bella love," he pressed another kiss to my head and started to hum my lullaby. It was then that I knew this is where I belonged, here with Edward with his ring on my finger.

—-

The next day. After taking my ring off and placing it carefully in my bedside table and after facing the curious eyes of Forks High School, who were abuzz with the Cullens' return, Edward and I were back home in my bedroom. We had a few hours till Charlie would be home from work but I didn't want to risk breaking out and extending the already quite harsh grounding I had received. Not that it wasn't justified, I had run away to Italy for three days.

"I found the ring," he murmured quietly as we lay on my bed enjoying each other's presence.

I sat up and looked at him quizzically to continue. For the second time in as many days he brought a ring box out of his pocket.

"Your promise ring," he smiled at me opening the box for me to look inside. Another beauty lay nestled inside. A small gold band with a small emerald sat in the middle between two smaller diamonds. Tears sprung to my eyes again.

"Edward it's beautiful," I cried.

"It was my mother's," he explained, "my father bought it for her after I was born. When I was human I had green eyes hence the emerald." The words just spurred on my tears. A beautiful green ring to reflect the humanity of my fiancé.

It was all I could do to keep gasping out how beautiful it was and thank you.

"Oh Bella all I have is yours now. This is just a trinket." Edward pulled me into his lap so my back was flush with his chest. He took my hand in his and slid the ring onto my right hand.

He kissed the side of my face before murmuring, "mine forever," I liked the sound of that.

I nestled back down into Edwards lap happy and content with the physical reminder of the promise we had made to each other.

Forever.


End file.
